The LuLac Edition #2867, March 31st, 2015
OF TEDDY AND LYNDON
Ted Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson. (Photo: US News and World Report).
THE SENATE INSTITUTE
Monday a museum dedicated to the United States Senate came to fruition in Boston. The mission statement of the Edward Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is this: The Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate is dedicated to educating the public about the important role of the Senate in our government, encouraging participatory democracy, invigorating civil discourse, and inspiring the next generation of citizens and leaders to engage in the civic life of their communities.
The building is a tribute to not only the Senate but the work of Edward M. Kennedy in his nearly 5 decade career as a Senator. During the weekend when news of the opening was front and center there were many who were bringing up Chappaquiddick and the death of Mary Jo Kopechne,. There were even some who stated that perhaps the incident should duly noted and be part of the Institute.
Sorry, I have to disagree with those folks. The death of the young woman was a tragedy that Kennedy’s reckless behavior in his personal life was responsible for. But it did not define his entire life. The accident at Chappaquiddick will always be the first thing people will think about regarding Teddy Kennedy. He deserves that. But he also deserves to be honored for his incredible legislative career that changed and improved the lives of millions of Americans. Perhaps CBS’ Bob Schieffer said it best:
Here's the link for the website for The Senate Institute. https://www.emkinstitute.org/
LBJ STEPS DOWN
This is the 47th anniversary of Lyndon Johnson’s announcement that rocked the political world in 1968. LBJ announced he would not seek another term to pursue peace. It was a day that changed the course of political history in that tumultuous year of 1968.
posted by David Yonki @ 10:28 PM
2 comments
2 Comments:
FYI, my cousin, Chelsea Abdalla, whose father is from Scranton, was offered the honor of introducing the speakers! Our family loves the Kennedy family, it was a huge honor!
Can't believe that you allowed yourself to be a part of the whitewashing of the Kennedys. Don't you remember anything of their antics? You lived through it.
The whitewash was so complete that even "Fox News Sunday" host Chris Wallace barked up the carnival: "Up next, our Power Player of the Week: Vicki Kennedy, on her husband's vision to inspire new generations about the U.S. Senate." Wallace noted that Teddy was fiercely partisan, and the second Mrs. Kennedy replied, "He was the proudest Democrat that there was, but the great thing about Teddy was that he always listened to the other side and worked so well with the other side."
Except he didn't. Let us recall his vicious "Robert Bork's America" speech in 1987, when he stated, "Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens' doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists would be censored at the whim of government."
But NBC brought on his son Patrick Kennedy to proclaim, "My dad was always an optimist. I mean, having overcome so many of his own personal challenges and political challenges -- I mean, this was a guy that everyone loved. Why? Because he persevered."
One might expect Teddy's politician son to spin things this way, but it doesn't mean the hyperbole should go unchallenged by a discerning press. "A guy that everyone loved?" The 1970s, 1980s and 1990s would beg to differ.
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